Nearly 100 members of the construction sector turned out on Friday morning [27th April] to mark World Day for Health and Safety at Work. They were attending a special seminar organised by the Jersey Construction Council to learn about the latest thinking in Island health and safety issues for the industry.

Aimed at anyone who works in the construction sector, the free seminar was held in conjunction with the Jersey Health and Safety at Work Inspectorate, Voisin law firm and health and safety specialists Coppolo & Coyde.

Colin Myers, Director of Health and Safety, spoke about the latest trends observed in the industry and said that the importance of carrying out and communicating a proper risk assessment should never be overlooked. He also emphasised the more recent issue of safe asbestos handling.

Health and safety consultant Lee McGurty spoke about employers’ legal requirements and how these could be made more meaningful in practice. She told the audience about the importance of putting in place good occupational health strategies to avoid damage to hearing or vibration sensitivity, which can occur over sustained periods.

Finally, Advocate Jeffrey Giovannoni from local law firm Voisin addressed the audience with a guide to the legal process and drew on some recent legal cases. He said: ‘From the number of people attending the seminar it is clear that the local construction industry takes a keen interest in health and safety requirements. I hope the seminar gave the attendees a clearer understanding of what measures can be taken to prevent accidents, and also what to do should an accident occur.’

JeCC Board Member Ian Wilson said he hoped the event had highlighted the important issues currently facing the industry, against the backdrop of the worldwide health and safety flag day. ‘The Jersey Construction Council is delighted that so many of its members turned out to support our event. Hopefully, it was a good overview of this important topic for anyone who works in the industry, irrespective of their role or level. However, we also welcomed attendees who hadn’t attended our events in the past and we hope to sign up some new members as a result. Our ultimate aim is to represent as many construction employers as possible so that we have a collective voice on all relevant issues that the industry faces,’ he said.

The seminar took place at Mimosa, Liberty Wharf, and was also sponsored by Jersey Electricity.